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Help please...possible damage to steering from dealer running it without ANY steering fluid after TSB work

Quest

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Question about damage to steering from running it dry without ANY steering fluid

Dealer failed to put power steering fluid in after my gearbox replacement per TSB 08-074-20. Drove my jeep home and didn’t like the feel of the new gearbox, it certainly didn’t feel right but also noticed tire pressure had been changed. In the past the pressure seemed to have an impact on steering issues. Drove 30 miles home corrected the pressure in my tires and noticed the steering fluid cap wedged against the bumper and the grill. Checked the fluid container and it was bone dry, clearly never refilled when they replaced the gearbox.

My question is: Is it likely that additional damage or significant wear and tear was done that will pop up later? This is out of my skill set and I don’t want to be on the hook for an out of warranty failure due to the dealership's negligence.

If it matters, the dealer record says they test drove it after repairs. My very reliable GPS system (with tracking records) says they didn't :mad:

Info from other members or @JeepCares would be greatly appreciated.

The backstory prior to today's issue is an interesting read. After my AA gearbox was replace with the AE version things were good for about 12k. Then I started having steering issues which became progressively worse. Another test drive with a dealer tech a few months ago and the tech identified the new TSB 08-074-20 with the newest steering gear as the appropriate fix. They agreed to put the new steel steering gear in under warranty (per the TSB). The order was placed and an appointment was made. After a few weeks the dealer’s service writer called me to verify my appointment the following week so they could install the new steering gear. I told them I was on it and would be there.

On the morning of the appointment, the service writer told me they were super busy and might not finish it in a day. They would call me later. He called in the afternoon and said it wouldn’t be finished. I asked a few probing questions because the first replacement was a 3-4 hour job. The answers provided seemed pretty sketchy. When pressed the service writer told me the replacement part (new steering gear) was defective and they would have to reinstall the old part in the morning before I could pick it up. Not buying this I drove 30 minutes to the dealer to inspect the jeep. Not a single bolt had been turned. We had a discussion…turns out they didn’t have and never had the new steering gear but were going to keep my jeep for 2 days to hide this information. A lot of work to go through to cover up the lack of part availability and very disconcerting.

Fast forward to the start of this message to see where I am today.
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JayJay

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Please tell me that this was a different dealer each time.
 

HoundDude

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its possible that they partially filled the system and got distracted before completing the fill and bleed process. in other words, the system may have some fluid in it even though the reservoir is dry.
 
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Quest

Quest

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its possible that they partially filled the system and got distracted before completing the fill and bleed process. in other words, the system may have some fluid in it even though the reservoir is dry.
Not likely, it was bone dry.

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amstel78

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If a hydraulic pump is run dry, bearings usually get scorched from the heat. Bearing seals can also crack, causing leaks once the system is refilled. I've had something similar happen to my W220 S65 AMG that used a hydraulic pump for steering and suspension. 30 miles may not have damaged it permanently, but there's no way to know unless the pump is pulled apart. Personally, if it were my Jeep, I'd be pissed and ask the dealer to replace the pump.
 

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Quest

Quest

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If a hydraulic pump is run dry, bearings usually get scorched from the heat. Bearing seals can also crack, causing leaks once the system is refilled. I've had something similar happen to my W220 S65 AMG that used a hydraulic pump for steering and suspension. 30 miles may not have damaged it permanently, but there's no way to know unless the pump is pulled apart. Personally, if it were my Jeep, I'd be pissed and ask the dealer to replace the pump.
Thanks for the reply. Yes I'm pissed. I tend to be solution oriented and your suggestion about replacement is what I was thinking to avoid future problems. However, I am a bit of "if it ain't broke don't fix it" person so I'm struggling with this. I wish I had a better understanding of the odds/chances of damage to the pump.
 
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Quest

Quest

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Please tell me that this was a different dealer each time.
Generally I consider it a blessing that I live in an area without millions of people but that also means fewer places to do business. I'm dealing with management on this. Maybe working through this helps them improve, maybe their head is to far up their a$$ and I have to drive significantly farther to a different dealer.
 

xtremegene02

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Question about damage to steering from running it dry without ANY steering fluid

Dealer failed to put power steering fluid in after my gearbox replacement per TSB 08-074-20. Drove my jeep home and didn’t like the feel of the new gearbox, it certainly didn’t feel right but also noticed tire pressure had been changed. In the past the pressure seemed to have an impact on steering issues. Drove 30 miles home corrected the pressure in my tires and noticed the steering fluid cap wedged against the bumper and the grill. Checked the fluid container and it was bone dry, clearly never refilled when they replaced the gearbox.

My question is: Is it likely that additional damage or significant wear and tear was done that will pop up later? This is out of my skill set and I don’t want to be on the hook for an out of warranty failure due to the dealership's negligence.

If it matters, the dealer record says they test drove it after repairs. My very reliable GPS system (with tracking records) says they didn't :mad:

Info from other members or @JeepCares would be greatly appreciated.

The backstory prior to today's issue is an interesting read. After my AA gearbox was replace with the AE version things were good for about 12k. Then I started having steering issues which became progressively worse. Another test drive with a dealer tech a few months ago and the tech identified the new TSB 08-074-20 with the newest steering gear as the appropriate fix. They agreed to put the new steel steering gear in under warranty (per the TSB). The order was placed and an appointment was made. After a few weeks the dealer’s service writer called me to verify my appointment the following week so they could install the new steering gear. I told them I was on it and would be there.

On the morning of the appointment, the service writer told me they were super busy and might not finish it in a day. They would call me later. He called in the afternoon and said it wouldn’t be finished. I asked a few probing questions because the first replacement was a 3-4 hour job. The answers provided seemed pretty sketchy. When pressed the service writer told me the replacement part (new steering gear) was defective and they would have to reinstall the old part in the morning before I could pick it up. Not buying this I drove 30 minutes to the dealer to inspect the jeep. Not a single bolt had been turned. We had a discussion…turns out they didn’t have and never had the new steering gear but were going to keep my jeep for 2 days to hide this information. A lot of work to go through to cover up the lack of part availability and very disconcerting.

Fast forward to the start of this message to see where I am today.
So if they replaced the steering box and did not fill it properly or bleed the new box properly it will give you the same problem. Take it back and ask for the service manager and demand that it be fixed properly or you will contact corporate.
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